This invention is generally directed to a multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device for use in disposal of needles during medical treatment.
OSHA guidelines and various state laws have placed pressure upon the providers of medical sharps and needle manufacturers, as well as the medical care providers, to take steps to provide disposable sharps products in a manner that would help reduce needle sticks and other sharps injuries to eliminate health care workers exposure to blood borne pathogens. Some xe2x80x9csafety syringesxe2x80x9d are currently being sold, but they are expensive, can not cover all needle lengths/gauge options and some are confusing to use. Additionally, there are procedures where the needle is used alone (not attached to a syringe) or may be used with a reusable syringe body, in which case the sharp must be protected or safely immobilized until the sharp can be disposed of in a sharps container. Procedure trays requiring multiple needles must make the isolation of the contaminated sharps convenient or the health care worker will not spend time or have time during the procedure to exercise proper safety precautions.
Some needle locking safety devices which are currently being sold will immobilize one needle upon its insertion into the device. An example of such a device is the Noved xe2x80x9csharp end foilxe2x80x9d or Needle Lock. Applicant believes that this Noved device is made by Devon Industries Inc. under U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,659. While these prior art needle locking safety devices perform the intended function, they can be inconvenient to use because the needle locking safety device must be set up, properly oriented and arrayed in a convenient location, somewhere in a crowded work space by the user before they can be employed. These prior art needle locking safety devices can become unstable if loaded with a large syringe and may fall over, contaminating the sterile tray or its contents, or even end up on the floor. When time comes for disposal in the sharps container, the needles and syringes with these prior art needle locking safety devices must be gathered up one-by-one from wherever they come to rest and carried to the sharps container. Often the health care workers will toss the whole tray into the sharps container after throwing these used items into it, wasting space in the sharps container. Finally, these prior art needle locking safety devices can take up a lot of valuable space when delivered in the procedure tray and in the sharps disposal container even if disposed of alone. In addition, the prior art needle locking safety devices are not inexpensive.
The present invention provides a multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device for use in medical treatment. This surgical needle immobilization safety device can be included in a procedure kit or trays where several needles and cannulas, up to five per tray, are provided as a set to be used sequentially in performing a specific procedure such as spinal block or other anesthesia. Other features and advantages of the surgical needle immobilization safety device of the present invention will become clear upon a reading of the attached specification in combination with a study of the drawings.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device which will accept needles from the largest twenty-two gauge procedure needles to the smallest twenty-seven gauge needles.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device which is delivered in the procedure kit tray, set up and ready for use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device which is easily and quickly assembled and is easy to use.
Briefly, and in accordance with the foregoing, the present invention discloses a novel multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device which is provided for use in disposal of needles during medical treatment. The device will accept needles from the largest twenty-two gauge procedure needles to the smallest twenty-seven gauge needles. The device can be included in a procedure kit or trays where several needles and cannulas, up to five per tray, are provided as a set to be used sequentially in performing a specific procedure such as spinal block or other anesthesia.